Philadelphia charter school operator ASPIRA, Inc., dispatched two union-busting outfits to dissuade teachers at two of its schools from unionizing with the American Federation of Teachers.

At Olney Charter HS, ASPIRA brought in New York-based National Consultants Associated Ltd. just days before a scheduled May 1 unionization vote to hold mandatory “captive-audience” meetings with teachers to dissuade them from unionizing.

An April 30 investigative report by a Philly.com reporter revealed that although National Consultants principal Randy McCarthy has not been charged with a crime, his family has a long history of criminal activity in the labor movement, including ties to organized crime.

Despite the charter chain’s pressures, Olney teachers on May 1 voted 104–38 in favor of forming a union.

“We applaud the courage of the teacher-leaders at Olney who stood together in the face of [ASPIRA’s anti-union] campaign, and we will work with them to ensure they and the kids they serve achieve the respect, dignity and opportunities they all deserve,” AFT President Randi Weingarten said.

ASPIRA has now hired a second group of union-busters at the John B. Stetson Charter School, where educators seek to organize.

Its new hired hands have kicked AFT organizers out of the school, prevented subpoenas from being served to ASPIRA personnel and, in one case, told an AFT organizer that “we’re going to come after you in a real uncomfortable way.” They also refuse to disclose their names or association to school staffers.

Philly.com, April 21, 30; May 1, 8, 15, 20